the Cost of Temporary Administrative Employees

The temporary service was for a reception/administrative assistant to answer my firms 6 telephone lines and to greet any visitors. The only request that was made of the temp agency was that the temp employee have a nice, professional voice and to be dressed professionally.

On several occasions my firm has needed the temporary services of a receptionist/administrative assistant. The temp service has a challenge of finding someone that is available to work at a moments notice. Typically I don't know in advance that I need a temp (employee calls in sick, etc.) The service is normally not that great. Every now and again we get the best of both worlds where the temp employee is dressed professionally and can speak professionally. I think the rate of $17/hour is too expensive for the quaility of personnel that we receive. The temps often surf the net all day and are often caught talking on their personal cell phones.

Have something for the temp to do. If their only task is to answer the phone, ask the agency to tell the temp to bring some reading material (book or mag). This tends to eliminate the temp from using your office computer to surf the net and all the SPAM that occurs when they do. Also be very clear with the temp that they can not use their cell phone while working.